We’re in the middle of an acquisition in the fiber/small cell space, and leadership has rolled out a retention incentive plan offering a bonus if we stay through the close. No formal agreement yet—just verbal communication.
What’s unclear (and concerning) is:
• When is the bonus actually paid? At close or partially after?
• If there’s a RIF by CC before close, and you’re let go through no fault of your own, do you still get it?
• Is anyone getting written documentation outlining eligibility, payout schedule, or protection?
Also, for those in sales, we’re under a commission plan where we’re paid half upfront when a deal closes and the other half after the service is installed (which can take months). It’s not uncommon to have $10K–$30k in outstanding second-half commissions.
The big questions:
• What happens to that unpaid second half if the sale closes?
• What if you’re laid off before or after the close—do you still get paid for deals you sold?
Would love to hear if anyone has gone through this before, or if anyone has provided any clarity or protection around this. A lot of us are sticking around only because of the bonus, and the uncertainty is starting to feel too risky.